Attacking Modi support to crony capitalism and neo-liberalism, AAP splinter Swaraj Samvad not to ally with Communists

Prof Anand Kumar (centre) at the press conference

By A Representative
Even several weeks after it "broke away" from the parent organization, the splinter group of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has tentatively called itself Swaraj Samvad, is still at the exploratory stage about the political directions it should take in futre. Swaraj Samvad's national convener Prof Anand Kumar, in Ahmedabad to explore "possibilities" of political support, has told newspersons that the organization cannot find any established political organizations or individuals with whom it could find a common ground in the country.
While claiming that the main purpose of the Swaraj Samwad is to take the "AAP spirit" to the national level by holding zonal and state-level meetings, Kumar, who fought Parliamentary polls on AAP ticket in East Delhi and, though defeated, was able to garner 4.5 lakh votes, said, "While it is possible to align with anyone while launching movements such as the one against the land acquisition Act, such alliances are simply not possible when political battles are fought, especially during elections."
"Currently, we are in the process of holding such zonal meetings. In Gujarat it will be held on May 25. Details are being worked out, but several leaders, including Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan are likely to attend", he said, even as denying that the BJP is popular in the state. "This is a misnomer", he insisted, adding, "The BJP is ruling the state because people are angry with the Congress. We will be making a debut in local body elections in Gujarat, with are to take place later this year."
Asserting that the present Narendra Modi rule is more aggressively going ahead with the neo-liberal agenda and support to crony capitalism, which characterized the previous Congress rule, Kumar disagreed that the Swaraj Samwad had anything in common with the two Communist Parties, CPI or CPM, which take a similar view of things. Answering a question whether the language he spoke wasn't similar to that of the Communists, he said, "The Communist parties are close organizations, they are not transparent and democratic in their functioning."
Besides, Kumar said, "Communist parties do not believe in allowing their organizations to be part of the Right to Information (RTI) framework, something with which we fundamentally disagree." Asked whether the Swaraj Samvad could find a common cause with Congress on issues like land acquisition Act, Kumar said, "It is because of the Congress misrule only that the BJP-led government is in power. It has no capacity to mobilize. It isn't serious about whatever agitations it launches."
To yet another question, Kumar said, the main aim of the Swaraj Samvad would be to "align" with such mass organizations like top anti-Narmada dam activist Medha Patkar, her organization Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), and the apex body of tens of civil rights organizations, National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM). "We will launch movements with the support of organizations like NBA and NAPM, with whom we find a common cause", he said.